In A World Without Words, We Speak of Love
by Final Phantasy
Summary: Set in September of 1945, Nico di Angelo and Will Solace have a flirtatious encounter at the di Angelo's 1920's themed party. After Nico convinces himself he'll never see Will again, he's in for a big shock when the blonde haired boy shows up at his private Catholic school, Dalton Academy. Their relationship only intensifies when Nico's hired to give Will piano lessons. BL, yaoi
1. Sugar, Are You Rationed?

**Author's Note: This story takes place during September of 1945, right after the end of World War II.**

 **In one of Uncle Rick's books, he mentions Nico, Bianca, and their mother came to America after Italy was no longer a neutral nation and joined the Axis Powers. Italy joined forces with Hitler in June of 1940, and since Nico's mother passed away right after they moved to America, he must have been eleven years old in 1940.**

 **Five years later, Nico is a sixteen year old boy attending Dalton Academy in New York City. In this story, Maria and Bianca never died, which will be explained in more detail as the storyline progresses.**

 **Warning: Since this story takes place in the 1940's there will be chapters which contain racism, homophobia, discrimination, etc. I promise the content will not be too graphic, but it'll still be there.**

 **Chapter 1: Sugar, Are You Rationed?**

Nico di Angelo was a lot of things. His mother raised him to be a polite and proper gentleman, his older sister taught him how to play classical music, and his father showed him how to be a real man. The dark haired boy could take a little lady by the hand and teach her the Big Apple or the West Coast Swing in under an hour. He could run his fingers across a piano and play symphonies which have been adored throughout the ages, such as Mozart, Bach, or even Beethoven. He could defend himself in a scuffle or stand up for a lady in need, like every chivalrous man should.

The only thing Nico couldn't do was be himself. After years of being breed for success and greatness, Nico knew he could never reveal his true feelings to his mother. It would crush her dear little heart. Poor Bianca, the teenage girl wouldn't be able to handle the unsettling news either. Hazel would most likely burst into tears and completely break down. And his father… He didn't even want to get _started_ on how his father would react.

Nico felt unshed tears welling in the corners of his glassy eyes. He clenched his hands into fists and clung onto the lavish sofa. Nico bit the inside of his lip until he eventually drew a bit of blood.

The chocolate eyed boy would _not_ allow himself to cry. He just couldn't! There were currently men overseas, including his own father and older cousins, fighting against the goddamned Nazis! What kind of man would he be if he allowed himself to cry right now, when there were prominent men in life or death situations fighting to maintain his freedom?

The Italian boy brushed a lock of black hair behind his ear. He slumped his shoulders and swung his feet back and forth, unable to concentrate on the bigger picture.

 _Just don't think about it,_ Nico told himself. _Focus on more important things like keeping the women in your household happy, or the fact that school will be starting soon._

"Nicolo, Bianca, Hazel!" his mother, Maria di Angelo, screamed from somewhere within the 1920's inspired mansion.

Nico's ears instantly perked up at the sound of his mother's frantic voice. Ever since his father, Master Sergeant Hades di Angelo, traveled to Europe to continue the Allies' battle against the Axis Powers, his lovely mother hadn't been the same. Her normally warm smile no longer displayed a true sense of happiness, but a fake feeling of despair hidden behind a pretty face. Her laugh was still there, but it never reached her soft green eyes. Not anymore.

But now, in this joyous moment, her angelic voice was radiating throughout the massive mansion in a way it hadn't spoken in nearly forty months. Nico bolted from his position in the parlor and bounded up the stairs. His mother's cries were coming from his father's office.

"Mother!" Hazel hollered, sprinting into the office which hadn't been entered since her father's departure. She felt a painful tug at her incomplete heart.

After Hades left, no one dared to enter his personal space, not even Maria. No one would say it out loud, but the office remained unused because they all wanted the room to always be associated with memories of the master of the household. Hazel's curly golden hair bounced against her shoulders as the young girl desperately tried to regain her breath.

Seconds later Bianca darted into the room, a dark look coating her light brown eyes. She stared her mother up and down, terrified that she'd finally snapped.

"Are you alright, mother?" Bianca questioned slowly.

After their father departed for Europe, Maria became extremely depressed. Half the time she locked herself in the master bedroom, convinced her husband was never going to return from the war. She forced the three children to rely on the maids for solace.

"I'm more than alright, dear," Maria stated with a small smile playing at her lips.

The thirty five year old woman had tears of joy streaming down her olive tinted cheeks. Without a word, she thrusted a telegram into Bianca's hands. Her green eyes looked at her oldest daughter expectantly.

"Go ahead, dear," Maria beamed. "Read it for everyone to hear!"

 _"My dear beloved family,"_ Bianca begun. _"It is my absolute pleasure to announce that on this day, September 2, 1945, the Second World War has officially come to a definitive end. Japan has surrendered and is no longer a threat to our society's freedom._

 _My brothers and I shall be returning on the first flight to the states in a matter of hours. The news of America's victory is to be announced worldwide on radio and television stations any minute now. Please tell the maid service to prepare a feast for my brothers, my troops, and our fellow comrades, Perseus Jackson, Jason Grace, Leonardo Valdez, and Frank Zhang."_

 _Yours truly,_

 _Hades di Angelo_

The group of children were speechless. Nico had to bite his tongue to prevent his tears from spilling down his cheeks. Hazel was the first to crack. The fourteen year old girl threw herself into her step mother's arms and wept uncontrollably. Maria wrapped her arms around Hazel's thin frame and pulled her closer, cooing comforting words into her ear.

Bianca, who normally masked her emotions just as well as Nico, launched herself into her mother's arms and began to cry as well. Nico was then pulled into the group hug by his sisters and together the family stood, ready to finally be reunited.

 _~Page Break~_

"Will!" his mother, Naomi Solace, cried from the upstairs office. "Darling, come here!"

The blonde haired boy left his bedroom and practically bolted into the home office. When he saw his mother, she was holding a telegram to her heart, and her eyes were red and puffy from crying.

Will felt his heart drop.

"What's wrong?" he inquired, taking a step closer to the sobbing woman. He pointed a perfectly tanned finger at the telegram. "D-Did something happen to dad? Is he okay?"

The woman's smile grew wide and she took her youngest son into her arms.

"He's comin' home tonight, baby! Your papa's finally comin' home from the war!"

Will squeezed his mother tighter and spun the petite woman around in the air. The blonde haired woman playfully kicked her legs and laughed a genuine laugh so beautiful it nearly brought Will to tears.

The cobalt blue eyed boy knew how much his father's return meant to his mother. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, his two older brothers, Lee and Michael Solace, were killed in combat. Naomi never fully recovered from the lost of her two eldest sons.

That was why she placed so much extra pressure on Will. On Mondays and Wednesdays, he had five hour piano lessons. On Tuesdays and Thursdays he participated in his academy's soccer league from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. After both his soccer practices ended he would attend cram school from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. On Fridays he did classical ballroom dancing and calligraphy. He spent the entire weekend catching up on homework, studying, or attempting to relax his nerves.

"Tonight, put on your best suit!" Naomi declared. "Once your father gets home, we'll be attending a dinner party at the di Angelo's mansion in celebration of bringing our troops home!"

"What should I wear?" Will asked.

"Something _dapper,_ " his mother grinned, pursing her plump pink lips. "The di Angelo's mansion is inspired by 1920's culture. What your wore to your Uncle Jeffrey's wedding should be splendid! Just get yourself all dolled up!"

The thin woman sauntered out of the room, her sun filled smile never falling, and danced towards the master bathroom to prepare herself for the night's events.

Will smiled. He missed seeing his mother look so happy.

 _~Page Break~_

After greeting his father upon arrival, and exchanging several heart wrenching monologues between each member of the family, the Solaces were off to the di Angelo's dinner party.

As the limo driver sped down the road, Will peered out the window and watched the autumn leaves shrieval onto the cold fall ground. His two little sisters, Kayla and Darcy, sat on either side of him.

Tonight Will was clad in a vintage 1920's black suit, a dark blue silk undershirt, a black fedora with matching dark blue trim, designer cufflets, a one of a kind golden handkerchief, a fancy dark blue tie, and wonderfully crafted black dress shoes. In his left hand he wielded a cane with a sun etched on the top.

When the Solaces finally arrived at the di Angelo residence, the mansion was already booming with activity. Even from all the way down the two mile long driveway Will could hear the classic 1920's song _Young and Beautiful_ playing through the wind.

 _"Will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful,"_ Kayla sang beautifully, gently nudging Will and giggling.

"Oh, you're absolutely _hilarious,_ Kayla," Will sarcastically remarked.

 _"Will you still love me when I have nothing but my aching soul?"_ Darcy added, hiding her laughter behind her tiny hands.

The blonde haired boy laughed.

"Of course!" he exclaimed. "You lovely ladies will always be beautiful to me!"

Kayla flushed red and Darcy fanned her face.

"That's my boy!" his father, Apollo, said proudly. "Talking to the ladies like they deserve to be talked to! A real gentleman!"

"We raised him perfectly, didn't we?" Naomi reflected, raising her chin and rolling back her shoulders.

"It's still a surprise you don't have a girlfriend, son," Apollo noted.

Will chuckled and awkwardly shrugged his shoulders.

"None of the girls in Texas were really my fancy," he defended. "Maybe I'll meet a pretty little filly in the city, and then I'll bring her home to you and ma."

 _Or maybe I'll find a nice boy and keep him hidden away for as long as we both shall live. If ya'll ever saw him, you'd flip your wig!_

"And me and Kayla!" Darcy yelled.

"I'll make sure she gets ya'lls seal of approval," Will reassured the ten year old girl.

"Just don't get _too_ doll dizzy," Apollo said. "I don't need no son of mine on active duty!"

Will blushed as the driver pulled the family's sleek black limo in front of the di Angelo mansion and opened the door for the five members.

"Thank you so much, Charles," Naomi smiled, and she genuinely meant it. Charles may be a loyal butler, but he was much more than that. He felt like _family._

"Any time," Charles said. "Shall I take a powder or remain here?"

"Take a powder, Charles. We may be a while."

"Okay children," Naomi started. "The di Angelos are a very important family in New York's upper class society. I expect everyone to be on his and her best behavior so we can be graciously invited to their next blow!"

All the children did was nod their heads as they entered the extraordinary mansion. The five separated and Will wandered around aimlessly, looking for someone his age to introduce himself to.

He suddenly spotted an angelic looking young man dressed in an all black tuxedo, a black fedora with a unique skull pattern, and a matching skull cane. He wore gold and silver jewelry all along his fingers, wrists, and fragile looking neck.

The pretty young man looked up and made eye contact with the cobalt blue eyed teenager. Will felt his breath hitch.

 _Dear lord. He's a dish!_

Without thinking, Will wove his way through the crowd and managed to come face to face with the handsome stranger.

"Hello," Will said in the most steady voice he could muster. "This is quite a killer diller party!" he raved over the loud music.

The young boy smiled. "Indeed. The 1920's atmosphere helps ease my mind."

"Mine as well," Will agreed. He extended his hand and looked at the shorter boy expectantly. "My name is Wilhelm Solace, but my friends call me Will."

The dark haired boy raised a perfectly arched dark eyebrow.

"So you consider us friends, Mr. Solace?"

The blonde haired boy blushed a deep shade of red, unsure of how to respond. The pretty teen wrapped his fingers around Will's and shook his mitt firmly, holding on for a few seconds longer than necessary.

 _Oh. Ohhh._

Will wasn't stupid. He could spot a urningtum when he saw one.

"Why not?" he smiled mischievously. "You're quite charming, if I do say so myself. I'm sure anyone in here could see you're a total dish."

"You flatter me too much," Nico insisted, his ears glowing pink. "My name is Nico di Angelo."

"Aha!" Will cried. "My mother has been raving about your family all day long!"

Nico bashfully hung his head and wrung his hands.

"I'm sure they will get along quite well."

Will took a step closer to the shorter boy, thankful that the music was able to protect their conversation from curious partygoers.

"Sugar, are you rationed?" Will whispered into Nico's ear.

The Italian boy blushed so hard he couldn't handle the sensation.

"Will," he whispered. "What are you trying to say?"

"Honestly? I think you're a doll, and I'd love the chance to take you out into town."

"I'm terribly sorry, you must have the wrong impression of me. I'm not… I'm not a _fag._ P-Please do not mistake me as such!"

And with that, the chocolate eyed boy pushed the taller teenager aside and stomped away, leaving a dejected Will Solace behind. Nico didn't dare glance back. The whole idea was much too painful to bear.

 _~Page Break~_

Nico felt like a total mess. For years he had been praying for a handsome young boy to completely sweep him off his feet, and when he finally got his wish, he pushed the other man away!

 _You're never going to get a boyfriend that way!_ Nico chided himself. _Do you want to be alone forever, or do you want to give a seemingly sweet guy a chance? Besides, he's not too hard on the eyes, either..._

The Italian teenager stormed into the back patio and hid in the rose garden. At least nobody would be able to find him in there.

Once he was far enough inside the maze of red and white flowers, Nico let his knees fall beneath him and plummeted to the ground. For years he'd always repressed his emotions, hidden his true colors from the rest of the world, and chose to live a life that wasn't really his.

 _I'm such a fraud. I act like the perfect son, but none of it's real. What everyone sees on the inside is completely different to what's truly on the inside. If people knew what I was really like, would they still admire me? Or would they cast me aside?_

For the first time in over five years, the young man allowed himself to cry. He was so fed up with pretending to be someone he was not. He knew he wanted to give Will a chance. He knew he wanted to open himself up to the opportunity for a relationship. Sadly, he wasn't able to put his family's reputation on the line. He would just have to set aside his own personal happiness like usual.

 **End of the first chapter!**

 **Honestly, I have no idea where this story came from. I was listening to "Kiss Me," by the one and only Ed Sheeran, and then _BAM,_ this fanfic was born!**

 **I used a lot of 1920's and 1940's slang in this chapter. Here is a little dictionary to help you understand:**

 **Mitt: Hand(s)**

 **Doll: Someone who is cute**

 **Fancy: Having a crush on someone**

 **Blow: A party**

 **Flip your wig: Lose all sense of control**

 **Doll Dizzy: Girl crazy**

 **Active Duty: A sexually promiscuous boy**

 **Take a powder: To leave**

 **Dish: A cute boy or girl**

 **Killer Diller: The best, ultimate**

 **Urningtum: A homosexual**

 **Sugar, are you rationed?: Are you going steady-dating somebody-AKA the cutest freaking line in this whole chapter.**

 **Any suggestions for where you guys want this story to go is greatly appreciated. I have no idea where I'm going with this, so any direction would be great!**

 **~The OG Judicorn**


	2. Loveless

**Chapter 2: Loveless**

 _"Paper doll come try it on, and step out of that black chiffon. Here's a dress of gold and blue, sure was fun being good to you."_

The Mills Brothers song boomed from the vintage record player and filled the entire vicinity with the soothing sound of jazz. Nico brought his knees up to his chest and hid his face in shame. God forbid anyone were to ever see him cry. At least the dreadful tears had finally stopped.

"Nico?" a soft voice called from within the flower maze. "Nico, where are you?"

The Italian boy stiffened. The voice belonged to his seventeen year old sister, Bianca.

He heard the older girl sigh. She paced back and forth throughout the maze in a fruitless attempt to locate her younger brother.

"Nicolo, I saw you run in here," Bianca said in a sing song voice. Nico could tell her patience was wearing thin. "Don't pretend like you can't hear me!"

Nico kept his mouth shut. Bianca stomped her foot in frustration and searched the maze for the currently mute teen. The chocolate eyed boy heard rushed footsteps approaching, but he didn't dare move. He didn't have the energy to run anymore.

"There you are!" Bianca huffed. "Didn't you hear me? I've been looking for you forever!"

 _Have you ever thought that maybe I don't want to be found?_

She plopped down next to Nico and wrapped an arm around his thin shoulders.

"Hey," she said softly. Her big chocolate brown eyes filled with concern and her voice dripped with sadness. A twinge of guilt panged at Nico's chest. "What's wrong? Why are you upset?"

Nico lifted his head, the distress and confusion clearly plastered across his miserable face. There was no way he could mask all his regrets.

"I really screwed up."

"How so?" Bianca pondered, tapping her chin with her fingers.

 _It won't kill me if I talk to her about it. I'll just tell her Will's a girl I met._

"I talked to this little dish inside," Nico started. "And I think she might have fancied me. Being the idiotic fool I am, I believe I may have scared her off for good."

"Well, you _are_ quite a bluenose," Bianca quipped.

Nico snorted and rolled his eyes.

"I am _not._ "

"Oh come on!" the older girl challenged. "You can make all the ladies on the east coast swing, but when it comes down to actually carrying a torch, you're a flat tire!"

Nico playfully shoved the dark haired girl and giggled. He loved the fact that seconds ago he was wallowing in a sea of his own sorrows, but now here he was, having quite a gas with his big sister.

"Aren't you just the cat's meow, Bea?" Nico retailed playfully.

"Oh hush, you're just trying to butter me up and line me!"

A wide grin made it's way onto Bianca's face and she leaned closer to Nico.

"What did she look like? Do I know her?"

"I don't believe so," Nico said after a few seconds of hesitation. "Rumor has it she and her family just moved here from Austin, Texas."

The Italian boy couldn't see the blank expression on Bianca's face or the wheels turning in her head. Her mind was rapidly working to piece together a conclusion.

"Why, isn't that swell?" she cheered. "What did the dame look like?"

Nico couldn't help the small smile that forced it's way onto his rosy lips at the indirect mention of Will.

"She was a zazz girl," Nico whistled. "Her smile was so bright it could make the sun take a hike. Her eyes were bluer than any ocean I've ever seen. And her hair, goodness gracious Bea, she had the prettiest blonde hair I've ever laid my eyes on!"

Bianca clenched her jaw. More and more pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall into place. She needed to test her theory and see if her analysis was correct.

"How old did the girl look?" she questioned.

Nico blinked.

"I didn't ask her, but she looked around my age. She was really tall, but her face screamed teenager."

"And you said this family is from Texas, correct?" Bianca pushed.

"Yes," Nico replied. "Why does any of this matter?"

"Are they the Solace family?" Bianca continued, ignoring Nico's question.

"Yes, they are. Again, is there a point to this interrogation, or is this gobblwdygook pointless?"

The Italian girl removed her arm from around Nico's shoulder and scooted away. The younger boy gave her a questioning glare.

"What is the _matter_ with you?" he pried, dramatically waving his thin hands in the air.

"The Solaces don't have a daughter our age," Bianca breathed. "The only 'pretty blondes' in the Solace family are Apollo and Wilhelm Solace."

Nico went into an instant panic. His eyes looked like a deer caught in the headlights. His chest felt a thousand times heavier. Was it always this difficult to breathe?

"No, Bea, listen. It's-It's not like that!"

It was too late. Bianca already had tears falling down her olive cheeks.

"Nico?" she wailed. Her eyes looked glassy and broken. Bianca's chest was heaving. "Are you a fag?"

At that moment, Nico's entire life replayed in his mind. He remembered the time he was five years old and kissed a little brown haired boy on the train. His memory flashed back to elementary school when he developed his first real crush on a boy named Evan Daniels. Nico's mind jumped forward to middle school when he wrote a love note to a boy in his class named John Peters. In the end, he crumpled up the piece of notebook paper and tossed it into the garbage bin.

"Nico!" Bianca screamed, ripping the terrified boy away from his thoughts. "Are you a fag?" she repeated slowly.

"I can't deal with this right now!" Nico cried.

Nico shoved his sister aside and sprinted into the mansion. He quickly shuffled up the stairs and locked himself in his room, slamming the door shut behind him. Thankfully the song _Love That Boy_ drowned out the sound of his unintentional rampage.

Nico snickered. _How ironic._

At that moment, he didn't care that he wasn't being a proper host. After years of striving for perfection, he realized none of it mattered.

 _~Page Break~_

"Mama, do we really have to go to school today?" Bianca questioned. "It's only been a week since papa came home!"

Maria gave her daughter a sympathetic smile and patted her on the shoulder like any good mother should.

"I'm afraid so, _mia bella._ "

Bianca sighed and crossed her arms in annoyance. She loved learning, but she _hated_ school.

"I'm sure it won't be so awful," Maria reassured her. "After all, it is the first day. I'm sure it'll be a piece of cake."

"Maybe for _Nico,_ " Bianca whispered spitefully.

Maria's wide green eyes filled with tears. Bianca regretted opening her mouth at all.

"Never speak that way, _mi reyna._ I love you. Your father loves you. Your siblings love you. Whatever those ignorant students at Dalton Academy say is meaningless!"

School life for Bianca had never been easy. Her hair was dark, her eyes were chocolate brown, and she had olive tinted skin. Anyone who saw her could easily figure out she wasn't American.

Nico, on the other hand, was as pale as a ghost. He could pass for an American any day of the week.

Dalton Academy was a private all white school located on the Upper East Side of New York City. The only reason Bianca was allowed to attend the exclusive school was because her father was rich and well respected enough to get her in.

Sadly, her father's reputation couldn't keep her safe from the other students. They were _horrible_ towards her.

 _Why don't you go to the colored school? a girl named Kayla Hamilton once told her in disgust._

 _Sorry, this table is for whites only. I guess you'll just have to sit in the back._

 _In the back? More like on the floor or outside with the birds!_

The sound of students laughing still rang in her ears.

 _This is the white girl's bathroom, go do your business somewhere else!_

 _Mr. Jenner, I don't want to be partners with the colored girl! It's unconstitutional!_

 _You're only here because your daddy got you in. You don't deserve it. It's not in your blood._

"I know," Bianca said. "They're just _so_ mean to me, mama!"

Maria pulled her daughter into a hug and squeezed the Italian girl.

"I know," she sighed. "Those children may come from wealthy families, but they have no class whatsoever. That is what distinguishes us from them. Now go out there, keep your chin held high, and show them how a real uptown girl behaves!"

"Yes, mama!" Bianca cried. Her mother always knew how to cheer her up.

"Now get your younger brother and get going! Sebastian is waiting out front!"

Bianca nodded as Maria ordered Nico to come down stairs.

The two siblings hadn't spoken since the rose garden incident. Whenever Bianca tried to speak to Nico, he would either shut her out or walk away. It was truly aggravating.

If only Nico would let her explain herself! Bianca wasn't homophobic. She wasn't angry with him. If anything, she was in too much shock at the moment to fully comprehend what was happening.

The only thing that made her upset was that Nico hadn't confided in her sooner. They were brother and sister. They weren't supposed to keep secrets. In the back of her mind, she always knew her little brother was gay.

How does a boy as powerful and handsome as her younger brother not get a lady? When Nico turned thirteen years old, she finally pieced the truth together. For years she watched her younger brother silently suffer, locking his feelings away in his heart, and refusing to be himself.

Nico lived his teen years loveless and alone. Yes, he had a loving family, but a real relationship with another person never crossed his mind. Bianca knew it was because Nico wouldn't allow himself to fall for a boy. It shattered her heart.

The dark haired teen came down the stairs, hugged his mother, gave her a light kiss on the cheek, and walked out the door all in one swift motion without glancing at Bianca once.

They rode in silence all the way to Dalton Academy. When they arrived, Nico practically flew out the door and disappeared into a large crowd of white students. Bianca banged her head against the car door and sighed. Today was going to be a long day.

 _~Page Break~_

Nico sat in the back of his homeroom class, writing in his black notebook with a dark blue gel pen, which had both been gifts from Hazel. His younger sister was an amazing artist and always gave him little presents here and there.

"I'm serious!" a blonde haired girl named Rachel shrieked. "He's going to be in _this_ homeroom!"

"Rubbish!" another girl named Lacey hollered.

Their group of friends snickered. Nico continued to write in his notebook, hoping the girls wouldn't notice him sitting in the back. Eventually, they did.

"Hey Nico!" another girl named Daisy called. "How was your summer?"

Nico flashed the girls his award winning smile and set down his pen and notebook.

"Not nearly as lovely as you fine young ladies," he remarked.

The gaggle of girls fanned their faces and surrounded the Italian boy's desk.

"Any summer romances?" Rachel pried. "Are you finally carrying a torch for some lucky dame?"

"That question's above my pay grade," Nico chuckled. "But to answer your question, no, not a single lady was able to catch my eye this summer."

 _I met a really cute boy, though. But don't worry, there's no chance I'll ever see him again anyway, so you're all safe!_

"Isn't that just the cat's meow, girls?" Rachel asked.

"Surely," Lacey agreed with a wink directed at the chocolate eyed boy. "So Nico, you're not rationed, are you?"

Nico's smile fell, but it returned so fast none of the girls seemed to notice. A wave of relief flowed through him.

"No," Nico purred. "I'm not going steady."

He _knew_ it was wrong to flirt with these girls and lead them on, but it was the only thing that made him feel better about himself. The attention helped calm his nerves.

"If you're not busy this weekend," Rachel started. "Maybe you and I could go to the hop?"

Nico took the girl's hand and gave her a bright smile. Lacey and Daisy burned red with jealousy.

"It sounds wonderful. I'd love to accompany you, but I'll have to make sure I'm not doing anything with my family on that day. Is a rain check fine?"

Rachel nodded her head eagerly. "Yeah! Just let me know tomorrow!"

"Sure thing, doll," Nico said with a seductive wink.

He knew he would end up rejecting Rachel tomorrow morning. Even if he wasn't busy this weekend, he would have lied and made up a ridiculous excuse to get out of it.

The group of girls danced over to their desks as more students started pouring into the classroom. The bell indicating the beginning of homeroom rang throughout Dalton Academy.

"Good morning, class," Ms. Dodds greeted in the same bitter tone she normally spoke in. "This year, we have a new transfer student from Austin, Texas joining us at Dalton Academy."

 _You have got to be kidding me,_ Nico groaned to himself. _This isn't happening right now. It's not going to be him. It's impossible and-_

"Please welcome Wilhelm Solace," Ms. Dodds said in a monotone voice.

The same blonde haired boy from last week strutted into the classroom with the same damn smile that never failed to take Nico's breath away. His golden blonde hair was flawlessly combed, his face was as clear as a summer's day, and he looked downright _sinful_ in the school's all black and blue uniform.

"Please," Will stated, showcasing his sun filled smile which even managed to thaw out Nico's cold heart. An audible swoon chroused throughout the classroom. Even Ms. Dodds had to fan her beat red face. "Call me Will."

The blonde haired boy scanned the rows of students. He made eye contact with Nico and immediately stopped his searching. His smile grew larger, if it was even possible. A light pink blush spilled across Nico's pale cheeks.

"He's a total _dish,_ " a girl named Penelope whispered from behind him.

"He sure is _dreamy,_ " another girl named Lynn proclaimed. "He's probably already going steady with some lucky dame, though."

 _You have no idea,_ Nico thought to himself.

"Well, Mr. Will Solace," Ms. Dodds said with a genuine smile plastered across her face. It was the first time Nico had even seen the woman look _happy._ "There's an empty seat next to Mr. di Angelo located in the back. Nico, dear, could you raise your hand?"

"Oh, no need," Will insisted. A smirk tugged on his lips as he sailed down the aisle The nervous expression etched onto Nico's face fueled his hunger. "Nico and I happen to already be acquainted."

More gasps rippled throughout the classroom. Nico wanted to fade into the shadows and never come out.

"Hey there, Loveless," Will whispered into Nico's ear. A cold chill ran down the shorter boy's spine.

"Why did you just call me?" he hissed back.

"Loveless," Will repeated. "You know, someone lacking or without love. Loveless."

"I heard you the _first_ time," Nico barked. "I'm asking _why_ you called me such an immature name. We hardly even know each other."

Will snickered.

"Before last week, we met before. I'm sure you'll remember from where. Eventually."

Nico froze.

"Wait," he deadpanned. "I've met you before?"

Another snicker escaped Will's blood red lips.

"You have a really bad memory."

 **End of another chapter!**

 **Wow. An update in under twenty four hours? I don't know whether to be embarrassed or slightly proud of myself. I'm going to go with the ladder.**

 **Honestly, I'm just writing this along as I go (like I do with all my other stories), so any suggestions would be phantastic. I have the plot planned out, but writing it is all done on the spot. No planning or outlines needed!**

 **Reviews, follows, and favorites are welcomed like Nico at the end of The Blood of Olympus.**

 **Dictionary:**

 **Damn: A girl or woman**

 **Bluenose: A prude**

 **Carrying a Torch: To have a crush on someone**

 **Flat Tire: A dull or disappointing date**

 **Gas: A fun or good time**

 **The Cat's Meow: An excellent person or thing-AKA my second favorite phrase ever**

 **Line: Insincere flattery**

 **Zazz Girl: An attractive young woman**

 **Gobblwdygook: Long and seemingly pointless rant**

 **Above My Pay Grade: Not required to answer a question**

 **Hop: A party or fun event or place**

 **~The OG Judicorn**


	3. Cold as the Wind Blows

**Author's Note: There's a kissing scene in this chapter, between two boys (who may or may not be Will and Nico), so if you aren't into the whole boy on boy love, you should avoid reading this chapter. Heck, you shouldn't even be reading this story!**

 **Those of you who came for fluff and slash, please enjoy.**

 **Chapter 3: Cold as the Wind Blows**

September ninth, the first day of Nico's sophomore year at Dalton Academy, was one of the most stressful days of his entire existence. No, it wasn't because of rude students, or impossible teachers, or hard courses. The cause of his annoyance was a single person alone: Wilhelm Solace.

Throughout the day Nico discovered he shared every class with Will Solace except music and English. He thanked god every moment they were apart.

During lunch, the blonde haired boy made it his own personal mission to follow Nico around like a shadow. Their hour lunch period ended with Nico nearly slapping the older boy across the face in frustration. Sadly, the timing was never quite right.

By the end of the day, Nico had had enough. He stormed out of his U.S. history class faster than the blonde haired boy could blink. As to be expected, his victory was short lived.

"You can't avoid me forever," Will said in a sing song voice, trailing behind Nico as the dark haired boy practically sprinted down the corridor. His short strides were no match for Will's long steps.

"I can sure as the bird try!" Nico retaliated.

The cobalt blue eyed boy snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Good luck with that. I'll see you at dinner tonight."

Nico stopped dead in his tracks. He paused so abruptly Will almost crashed into his back.

"What do you mean?" he asked between gritted teeth.

"Since last week, our mothers have become quite the pair," Will grinned. Nico wanted to smack the cheeky smirk off his handsome face. "It seems Mrs. di Angelo has invited my family and I over for a lovely get together."

Nico had a sudden flashback of his mother cheerfully talking on the telephone earlier that morning. Since he was still extremely upset with Bianca, he had avoided speaking to his mother in the presence of his older sister.

 _Damn,_ Nico thought to himself.

Instead of feeding into the obvious truth, he decided to lie. After all, you're always better off with a _really_ _good lie._

" _You're lying,_ " Nico accused.

Will's smug smirk fell. It almost made Nico feel better.

"Why would I fib?" Will responded, raising a perfectly arched blonde eyebrow.

Nico's dark eyes scanned the vast hallway. Very few students were roaming the seemingly empty corridor. Before anyone could notice, Nico dragged Will into the abandoned music room and slammed the door shut.

Will walked over to the unoccupied piano and sat down at its designated bench, crossing his legs in the process. Nico leaned against the door, his chest heaving violently.

"What do… What do you want from me, Solace?" Nico asked, desperation and anguish lacing his out of breath voice.

The blonde haired boy blinked. Nico tugged at his school uniform's sleeve, trying to ignore the other boy's unintentional cuteness.

"I want to know why you're fooling yourself," Will remarked simply.

"I don't know what you're referencing," Nico defended.

 _Liar._

"Oh please," Will chided. "Don't give me any of that pancake flipper nonsense!"

" _Wilhelm Solace!_ " Nico hissed, his ears turning bright red. "Would you speak in such a rude manner in front of your own mother!"

"Obviously not! If you turn red in the face, my poor mother would collapse to the floor!"

"Irrelevant!" Nico shouted. "This whole conversation is irrelevant!"

The shorter boy went off into a long rant in Italian about cursing and proper language to use in the presence of mothers, waving his hands in the air the entire time. Will sat idly by, waiting for the shorter boy to finish his outburst.

"Are you done flipping your wig?" Will asked in all seriousness.

"I believe so," Nico answered, crossing his thin arms.

"You don't have to lie," Will reassured him. "I know you're not the ladies man you and the rest of society paint you out to be."

 _He's right. Just keep lying. Keep the conversation going. Avoid an end at all cost._

"And how would you know that?" Nico asked, moving the conversation forward.

"Because," Will replied, rising from his spot on the piano bench, and inching closer to Nico. "When I met you the first time, you were much more openly khaki wacky."

Maybe it was the closeness of the two teens, or the fact that Will spoke with a hint of a Southern accent, but Nico couldn't hide the deep red blush that spilled across his cheeks and rose all the way up to his hair line.

"Is that so?" Nico scoffed, scrunching his nose in a fruitless effort to seem unaffected.

Will tugged on his lower lip and chuckled. Nico almost gave in right then and there.

"Like I said before, you have a horrendous memory. Maybe this will help you remember."

And with that, Will closed the gap between the two boys. He wrapped his arms around Nico's slim waist and pulled the shorter boy closer to his chest. Nico threw his arms around Will's neck and dug his fingers into the other teen's soft golden hair.

He didn't care. Nico had lived all of his sixteen years without ever being kissed. He wanted to experience the first sense of human sexuality and emotion, only if it would last for a brief moment. He knew he would live to regret it. But then again, he said he didn't care. Not now, anyway.

Will's soft blood red lips battled with Nico's rosy ones for dominance. Eventually, Will won the battle, and his light pink tongue pushed against Nico's pretty lips for access. When the younger boy denied him entry, Will roughly tugged on his bottom lip, causing Nico to gasp and moan. Will took the opportunity to slip his tongue inside his mouth.

Nico did everything in his power to keep himself from moaning again. He scratched at Will's back, desperately trying to keep his sounds to himself. The dark haired boy felt Will smirk against his lips.

The older boy placed his hands on Nico's slim hips and lifted him onto the piano. He kept Nico locked in place, running kisses along his neck and jawline. A wide grin spread across his face when he found a spot, on the left side of Nico's neck, which seemed more sensitive than all the other places he'd kissed. He decided to test his new theory.

Will gently sucked on the fragile pale flesh, occasionally scraping his teeth against the bruised skin. He bit down a little harder, and Nico finally gave in and let a loud breathless moan escape his previously shut lips.

The blonde haired boy sucked harder, leaving a dark purple hickey the size of Texas on Nico's neck. Nico pulled Will's chin upward, taking his lips into his own once more.

The kiss seemed to go on forever, but in reality, it only lasted for a few minutes. When they finally pulled apart, both boys had kiss swollen lips and dazed irises. Will's previously flawless hair was now a tangled mess.

No words were exchanged between the two teens. Instead, Nico blinked away his tears, jumped off the piano, and ran out of the abandoned music room in a haste.

"Nico!" Will shouted, sprinting out of the old music room.

"Don't follow me!" Nico yelled over his shoulder.

The Italian boy turned the corner. Will instantly turned as well.

"Can we at least talk about this?" the blonde haired boy pleaded.

"I have nothing to say to you!" Nico replied in a shaky voice.

In his kiss induced state, Nico didn't realize he had led Will to a dead end in the Northern wing of the academy. The pale boy fell to his knees, completely out of breath. Nico's head hung to the ground, refusing to meet the other boy's piercing gaze. He had never felt so ashamed, so _disgusted_ with himself for giving into basic human desire.

"You kissed me... Why did you kiss me?" Nico strained.

"Because I knew you would kiss me back," Will responded.

"That was a _mistake,_ " Nico clarified.

 _I'm already regretting letting you kiss my lips..._

Will folded his arms and popped out his hip.

"Was it really? You weren't protesting when you opened your-"

" _Please,_ " Nico cut him off. "I really can't deal with any of this right now."

"Why do you always do that?" Will questioned.

"Why do I always do what?" Nico retorted.

"Don't act like you haven't noticed yourself. Whenever you're confronted with a difficult situation, or you're close to facing the truth, you run away. You don't deal with things. You prefer to turn your back and ignore the problem. Here's a little advice: If you keep avoiding the problem, it's only going to get worse."

"Oh yeah?" Nico snickered. "Here's the thing, Solace. This 'problem" isn't going to be solved anytime soon. My only choice is to run away from it."

"Will you ever be happy that way?" Will asked, stepping closer to Nico.

"I don't know!" the shorter boy shouted.

Will smirked. "I take that as a no. What are you going to do in ten years, Nico? Marry some dame your parents pick out and have three kids? Get a high paying job, live in a beautiful home, and work nine to five shifts at work? Is that _really_ how you want to live your life?"

" _Shut up,_ " the dark haired boy hissed.

Will took another step closer. "See. You're avoiding the problem at hand again. You're _running._ "

"I said _shut up_ _!_ " Nico cried.

"Or what?" Will asked. "What are you going to do?"

"You are so annoying!"

Nico raised his left hand and slapped Will across the face.

 _~Page Break~_

"Please," the Italian girl begged. "Just let me go home... I-I want to go home."

Her tormentors, two white girls named Rachel Scott and Mary McDowell, exchanged a sideways glance and snickered.

"I don't think so," Mary stated. "You have two options. Option number one: You can go to the colored school. If you're there, you'll never have to deal with us again."

"Or you can chose _option number two,_ " Rachel grinned wickedly. "You can stay here at Dalton Academy and continue to be beat everyday. It's really all your decision, Bianca."

The chocolate eyed girl was terrified. After the end of the last class, she left her foreign language classroom and started marching towards the awaiting limo. Halfway there, the two girls threw her to the ground. Rachel was currently lying on Bianca's back, pushing her face into the dirt. Mary was restraining her feet like some type of animal.

"Why are you _doing this?_ " Bianca choked. "What's the _point?_ "

"The point?" Rachel repeated. "Isn't it obvious! The point is we don't want dirty colored girls at our school! It's disgusting!"

Without warning, Rachel slammed Bianca's face into the dirt. One slam. Two slams. Three slams. _Four._

The older girl's vision went blurry. Dark red blood was flowing down her face. Her head was spinning like crazy.

"Nico," Bianca breathed. "I want... To see Nico. Where's Nico?"

"Why would Nico ever want to see _you?_ " Rachel asked, a distasteful look plastered across her otherwise pretty face.

"Little brother... Nico. Is he safe? Where's-Where's Nico?"

Mary released Bianca's ankles. The girl's already pale face turned ghost white. Her dark blue eyes filled with horror.

"Oh my goodness, Rachel, get off of her!" Mary screamed. "That's Nico's older sister! Get off!"

Rachel was frozen with shock and fear. When she made no effort to move, Mary shoved the skinny girl aside and tried speaking to Bianca.

"Hey, Bianca, Nico's fine! Just keep your eyes open, okay? Can you hear me, Bianca?"

"Nico?" she asked. "Where's Nico?"

Bianca's chocolate brown eyes fluttered shut. Mary screamed.

 **End of another chapter!**

 **I'm terribly sorry it was so short, but I tried to make it as eventful as possible. I promise the next chapter will have more detail and go into further analysis on Will, Bianca, and Nico's emotions.**

 **I know a lot of people may think Nico is acting OOC, but I strongly believe this is how he would really react. In The Titan's Curse, he _ran away_ because of his feelings towards Percy. In the 1940's, all of society was very homophobic. In The House of Hades, Nico reveals he's very _ashamed_ of his sexuality. So yeah, I'm writing Nico this way because it seems the most believable to me.**

 **Reviews, favorites, and follows are greatly appreciated and inspire me to write faster. Also, suggestions for this story are still being taken into consideration, so if you want something specific to happen, don't be afraid to tell me.**

 **Dictionary: (I love this part)**

 **Sure as the bird: Basically a proper way of saying sure as hell**

 **Fib: Untruthful, to lie**

 **Pancake Flipper: Mother fucker-AKA the funniest thing ever said in the 1940's**

 **Khaki Wacky: Boy crazy-AKA my new catchphrase**


End file.
